Rehoboam was a bad king. His son, Abijah, became king of Judah and was bad. Asa, Abijah’s son became the next king, but was good. No doubt, his mother was a good influence. Because his father had fourteen wives and twenty-two sons, it would be interesting to know how the different influences from the many wives affected the lifestyle of the sons.

In many families, the grandparent also has a strong influence in the formative years of a child. God can use the influence of family members to shape the spiritual character of a child and see him turn out good, regardless of his father’s standing.

A key is to call upon the Lord and ask Him for His help. Just as the kings would call upon the Lord for favor when going into battle, parents and grandparents can call upon the Lord in prayer to impact the lives of children who are in the spiritually formative years.

READ/HEAR: 2 Chron. 12-14